Parent upset with teachers walking off jobs

Oakville Beaver

I am a parent with two children at Sunningdale Public School. I have just been advised via e-mail from the Halton District School Board (HDSB) regarding the province-wide protest day today (Friday, Jan. 11).

Possibly because parents have not spoken on the subject, the teachers’ unions believe parents are with them. For one, I am not. I did not appreciate the automated telephone call back in December requesting our patience and support for the legal strike day. There was no one to speak with or to leave my message when I tried to call back.

The teachers voted Dalton McGuinty in on the last election — their union told them to. McGuinty favoured the teachers all throughout his ‘reign’ in Ontario because his wife was/is a teacher. The union was sleeping with its eyes open if it thought for one minute at some point he would not have to make the same hard decisions he did with other unions.

Teachers, as well as doctors and nurses, provide necessary services — McGuinty is treating teachers finally the same as he has treated the healthcare system in Ontario.

While no one has made a loud voice for the healthcare system, it continues on a downward spiral.

The teachers’ union has a loud voice.

My one daughter came home from school in December telling me we should support the teachers because they are standing up for their rights.

My response back was — you’ve got to be kidding — what they are teaching you is to whine and complain, because you will get what you want.

In the last 10 years, companies have down-sized, gone out of business and left the province. We have a high jobless rate. I don’t stand with the Premier, but I will say he has tried in hard times to be cost-effective.

To be most cost-effective, would be to eliminate executive positions at the top of all governmental bodies and unions making ridiculously huge salaries for doing next to nothing.

Parents are left now to figure out who is going to stay home with their children. How much will it cost for us to find someone to watch them. For some parents, this is a bigger issue than others. But when I am paying taxes to the public school board, I am expecting something in return — an education and for them to be attending school on the days they are supposed to be.

Maybe this will be my wake-up call to move my children to a private school — then I won’t get any surprises.

I hope Dalton McGunity and his government does not give in to the teachers’ union demands because it will teach our children — if you whine and complain long enough and loud enough, you will get what you want.